Actor Lech Walesa
Lech Walesa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish retired politician and labour activist. He co-founded and headed Solidarity, the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland from 1990 to 1995.
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. Since March 1901, it has been awarde…
President of Poland
The President of the Republic of Poland is the head of state of Poland. Their rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland. The president heads the executive branch. In addition the president has a right to dissolve parliament in certain cases, veto legislation and r…
See more
Why was the Solidarity movement important?
In the early 1980s, it became the first independent labor union in a Soviet-bloc country. Solidarity gave rise to a broad, non-violent, anti-Communist social movement that, at its height, claimed some 9.4 million members. It is considered to have contributed greatly to the Fall of Communism.
Why did Lech Wałęsa win the Nobel Prize in 1983?
For Freedom to Organize behind the Iron Curtain When Lech Walesa received the Peace Prize for his campaign for freedom of organization in Poland, he had just been released from internment. The Communist party had tried in vain to break him, the symbol of the revolt against the party's monopoly on power.
What year did Lech Wałęsa win the Nobel Prize?
1983The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1983 to Lech Walesa. In reaching this decision the Committee has taken into account Walesa's contribution, made with considerable personal sacrifice, to ensure the workers' right to establish their own organisations.
Who led the Polish Solidarity movement of the 1980s?
Solidarity's leader Lech Wałęsa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and the union is widely recognised as having played a central role in the end of Communist rule in Poland.
Who has won 3 Nobel Prizes?
the International Committee of the Red CrossSince the International Committee of the Red Cross has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize three times (in 1917, 1944 and 1963), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize two times (in 1954 and 1981), there are 27 individual organizations which have been ...
Who is the most controversial Nobel Prize winner?
Similarly, Obama's award of 2009 faced a wave of criticism. ... Other controversial winners include an award given in 1994 to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres for their work on the Oslo Peace Accords.More items...•
Who has ever refused a Nobel Prize?
author Jean-Paul SartreThe 59-year-old author Jean-Paul Sartre declined the Nobel Prize in Literature, which he was awarded in October 1964. He said he always refused official distinctions and did not want to be “institutionalised”.
Who is the youngest person to win a Nobel?
In October 2014, Malala, along with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, was named a Nobel Peace Prize winner. At age 17, she became the youngest person to receive this prize. Accepting the award, Malala reaffirmed that “This award is not just for me.
Who has won the most Nobel Prizes in history?
The International Committee of the Red CrossThe International Committee of the Red Cross has won the most Nobel Prizes of any one entity or person. It won Peace Prizes in 1917 and 1944 for its work during the First and Second World Wars, and a third Peace Prize in 1963, along with the League of Red Cross Societies, marking the 100th anniversary of its founding.
How do you pronounce Lech Wałęsa in Polish?
0:051:01La bolsa la bolsa el sol la balsa goebbels goebbels.MoreLa bolsa la bolsa el sol la balsa goebbels goebbels.
When did communism fall in Poland?
On 4 June 1989, the trade union Solidarity won an overwhelming victory in a partially free election in Poland, leading to the peaceful fall of communism in that country.
When did Poland become Communist?
The 1947 election marked the beginning of undisguised communist rule in Poland, though it was not officially transformed into the Polish People's Republic until the adoption of the 1952 Constitution.
Why did Frédéric Passy win the Nobel Prize?
Frédéric Passy dedicated 50 years of his life to promoting arbitration and reconciliation between nations. He became known as the “Apostle of Peace”, winning the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 alongside Henri Dunant, the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Why did Kary Mullis receive the Nobel Prize in 1993?
He won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for copying and amplifying DNA. Mullis invented the PCR method in 1983 as a chemist at Cetus Corporation.
Why did Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize?
Poet Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for his collection Gitanjali published in London in 1912. The prize gained even more significance by being given to an Indian for the first time. This honour established Tagore's literary reputation worldwide.
What was the cause of Maathai getting the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 to Wangari Maathai for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace. Peace on earth depends on our ability to secure our living environment.
For Freedom to Organize behind the Iron Curtain
When Lech Walesa received the Peace Prize for his campaign for freedom of organization in Poland, he had just been released from internment. The Communist party had tried in vain to break him, the symbol of the revolt against the party's monopoly on power.
Nobel Prizes 2021
Thirteen laureates were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2021, for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.
Explore prizes and laureates
Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.
Why did Lech Walesa win the Nobel Peace Prize?
In 1983, Lech Walesa was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for his campaign for the freedom of organizing trade unions in Poland. Since he was afraid of leaving Poland, lest he was not allowed to return home, his wife accepted the prize on his behalf.
What were Lech Walesa's major achievements?
His other achievements include reduction of the foreign debt and withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country. During his reign, the country also registered 6% growth.
What was Lech Walesa's mission?
In the same year, he founded Lech Walesa Institute with the mission "to popularize the achievements of Polish Solidarity, educate young generations, promote democracy, and build civil society in Poland and around the world".
When did Lech Walesa join the army?
In the same year, he began his career as an electro-mechanic in Lochocin, continuing with the job until 1965 , when he was enlisted in the army for the two-year obligatory military service.
Where is Lech Walesa from?
Childhood & Early Life. Lech Walesa was born on 29 September 1943 in Popowo, a village located in the Lipno County in the north-central part of Poland. At that time, the country was under German occupation, which made life tough for the citizens. His father, Bolesław Walesa, was a carpenter.
What happened in Poland in 1988?
By 1988, the economic condition of Poland was all time low, resulting in agitation all over the country. Finally in the beginning of 1989, the government agreed to enter into round table negotiations, which was attended by Walesa as a leader of non-governmental party.
How many people died in the Lenin food strike?
Also in December 1978, Walesa organized an unofficial memorial services for the 45 workers killed in the 1970 food strike at Gate Number Two of the Lenin Shipyard. It led to his second dismissal.
Childhood
Lech Walesa was born in 1940s. The early 1940s were dominated by World War II. Following the end of the war, it was the start of the Baby Boomer years and technology advancements such as the jet engine, nuclear fusion, radar, rocket technology and others later became the starting points for Space Exploration and Improved Air Travel.
Education
The education details are not available at this time. Please check back soon for updates.
Family
Lech Walesa’s mother’s name is unknown at this time and his father’s name is under review. We will continue to update information on Lech Walesa’s parents.
Personal Life
Like many famous people and celebrities, Lech Walesa keeps his personal life private. Once more details are available on who he is dating, we will update this section.
Net Worth
The 78-year-old Polish world leader has done well thus far. Majority of Lech’s money comes from being a world leader. CelebsMoney has recently updated Lech Walesa’s net worth.
Horoscope
Zodiac Sign: Lech Walesa is a Libra. People of this zodiac sign like harmony, gentleness, sharing with others, the outdoors, and dislike violence, injustice, loudmouths, conformity. The strengths of this sign are being cooperative, diplomatic, gracious, fair-minded, social, while weaknesses can be indecisive, holding a grudge and self-pity.
Fans also viewed
Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us. This page is updated often with new details about Lech Walesa. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates.
What did Gebert describe Walesa as?
Gebert characterized Walesa as a man who has never taken words seriously, but for understandable reasons. First, the communist Poland Walesa grew up in was a place where words did not make sense: official words were lies, while lying was a method ordinary people used for survival.
What happened to the shipyard workers in 1970?
It is important to remember that the major turning point in Walesa's life came in 1970, when at least 42 of his shipyard-worker colleagues were shot dead by the authorities at strikes protesting rises in food prices. Walesa had been one of the organizers of the protests, and saw the bloodshed firsthand.
How many prime ministers did Walesa change over?
In what became known as Walesa's "war at the top," he set representatives against each other and oversaw the changeover of five prime ministers in five years. All the while, he made little attempt to appear presidential, and he spoke in public like a caricature of a bullying trade union representative.
What is Walesa's problem?
In Gebert's view, Walesa's problem is that he was right, too many times, consecutively. He did not make a single major blunder during the opposition years of the 1980s, after which he went straight into office. For years he had followed his gut instincts, sometimes ignoring the intellectuals around him, and every time he was proven to have done right. "So that became a habit, and it carried on after the world changed in 1989," Gebert said. "He became someone who is willing to say whatever comes into his head and then sticks to it, even if he knows it's wrong."
Who were the twins that Walesa fired?
It was during his stormy presidency that Walesa fell out with several close allies, including the twins Jaroslaw and Lech Kaczynski (Walesa fired them both in 1992). Unluckily for Walesa, they became prime minister and president, respectively, in the 2000s. Their apparent grudge against him is said to be behind Walesa's biggest reputational burden to date—the reoccurring allegation that he worked as an agent for Poland's secret police in the 1970s.
Who was Lech Walesa?
Polish politician Lech Walęsa. Marcin Kalinski/laif/Redux. By 1984, Lech Walesa was an icon. A Polish shipyard electrician with modest farming roots, he had come from nowhere to inspire a workers' revolt that brought the monster of communism to its knees. He was discussed by statesmen in Washington, Moscow, and Beijing.
Does Walesa apologize?
The controversy has gone global, as have demands for an apology. But Walesa is defiant. "I will not apologize to anyone," he said in an interview quoted by CNN. "All I said [was] that minorities, which I respect, should not have the right to impose their views on the majority. I think most of Poland is behind me." He also stated that he does not "feel homophobic."
Speakers circuit
Many of Walesa’s 1990’s contemporaries — Bill Clinton, Gerhard Schroeder, Tony Blair — have benefited from the circuit or monetized their list of high-profile contacts with gigs for often less than fully democratic, fossil-fuel-financed regimes.
Problems at Walesa's institute
The Lech Walesa Institute (ILW) — a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization established in 1995 by Walesa and modeled on the Carter Center in the United States in 2014 showed a profit of 3.7 million zlotys. By 2017 its coffers were empty.
Poland's Solidarity movement turns 40: A nail in the coffin of communism in Europe
Forty years ago, the independent trade union Solidarnosc was founded in Poland. It paved the way for the end of communism in Europe. But the country is divided on whether Lech Walesa, its leader, was a hero or a traitor.
Overview
Post-presidency
After losing the 1995 election, Wałęsa announced he would return to work as an electrician at the Gdańsk Shipyard. Soon afterwards, he changed his mind and chose to travel around the world on a lecture circuit. Wałęsa developed a portfolio of three lectures ("The Impact of an Expanded NATO on Global Security", "Democracy: The Never-Ending Battle" and "Solidarity: The New Mille…
Early life
Wałęsa was born in Popowo, Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia, Germany (German-occupied Poland). His father, Bolesław Wałęsa (1908–1945), was a carpenter who was rounded up and interned in a forced labour camp at Młyniec (outpost of KL Stutthof) by the German occupying forces before Lech was born. Bolesław returned home after the war but died two months later from exhaustion and illness. Lech's mother, Feliksa Wałęsa (née Kamieńska; 1916–1975), has been credited with …
Solidarity movement
From early in his career, Wałęsa was interested in workers' concerns; in 1968 he encouraged shipyard colleagues to boycott official rallies that condemned recent student strikes. He was a charismatic leader, who helped organize the illegal 1970 protests at the Gdańsk Shipyard when workers protested the government's decree raising food prices and he was considered for the positio…
Presidency
Following the June 1989 parliamentary elections, Wałęsa was disappointed that some of his former fellow campaigners were satisfied to govern alongside former Communists. He decided to run for the newly re-established office of president, using the slogan, "I don't want to, but I have to" ("Nie chcę, ale muszę."). On 9 December 1990, Wałęsa won the presidential election, defeatin…
Wałęsa and secret police
Despite the 2000 ruling of a special lustration court affirming his innocence, for many years there have been allegations that Wałęsa was an informant of Security Service, the communist security services, in his twenties. While vehemently denying being a regular Security Service informer, Wałęsa admitted to "signing something under interrogation in the 1970s." In 2017, a handwritin…
Personal life
On 8 November 1969, Wałęsa married Mirosława Danuta Gołoś, who worked at a flower shop near the Lenin Shipyard where Wałęsa worked. Soon after they married, she began using her middle name more often than her first name, per Lech's request. The couple had eight children; Bogdan (born 1970), Sławomir (born 1972), Przemysław (1974–2017), Jarosław (born 1976), Magdalena (born 1979), Anna (born 1980), Maria-Wiktoria (born 1982), and Brygida (born 1985). As of 2016 …
Honors
In 1983, Wałęsa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, he has received more than 30 state decorations and more than 50 awards from 30 countries, including Order of the Bath (UK), Order of Merit (Germany), Legion of Honour (France) and European Human Rights Prize (EU 1989). In 2011, he declined to accept the Lithuanian highest order, citing his displeasure at Lithua…